PRIDE AFRICA is a non-profit organization committed to a different kind of development approach. We believe that entrepreneurship is the key to economic growth and poverty alleviation in Africa. Therefore, we strive to design, nurture, and scale innovative, commercially sustainable solutions that mainstream Africa’s poor.

Our History

PRIDE was established in 1988 and became an early pioneer of the Grameen-inspired group solidarity model in East and Southern Africa. Over the next ten years, PRIDE introduced a network of 60+ branches in five countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.  The network is now individually managed and serves more than 200,000 clients.

PRIDE’s microfinance model meets the needs of urban and peri-urban entrepreneurs who require short-term capital for business growth. However, the model has proven less effective in rural Africa and, in particular, assisting those involved in the agricultural sector. This is despite the fact that approximately 70% of Africans are dependent on agriculture for their and their families’ livelihoods.

In 2003, PRIDE refocused its work on the agricultural sector and the supply-chain to achieve a more substantial impact. PRIDE has since collaborated with a variety of partners – such as The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The International Development Research Centre, The World Bank, and Princeton/Harvard Universities – to research and develop products better suited to the nuances of agriculture in Africa. That wealth of R&D forms the basis for PRIDE’s strategic approach moving forward.  

Our Future

PRIDE will continue its industry-leading R&D in the agricultural sector with a focus on how rural entrepreneurs can better utilize information and communication technologies given the spread of mobile phones/devices in Africa. PRIDE also plans to push one of its projects – the DrumNet project – beyond R&D and into commercialization. DrumNet will become an independent, African-led service company whose operations scale in Kenya and, eventually, across Africa. Commercialization will require further investment in DrumNet’s management resources, IT tools, and operating systems.

PRIDE AFRICA is headquartered at 626 Grant Street, Suite A, Herndon, Virginia VA 20170, USA and registered within section 501-(c)-3 of the Internal Revenue Code. PRIDE has a regional office based in Nairobi, Kenya where it operates under certificate of compliance F 23/93.

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